Climate Impacts Group

Now Hiring: Washington State Climatologist

The Office of the Washington State Climatologist and the Climate Impacts Group are hiring a State Climatologist to lead the activities of the Office of the Washington State Climatologist. 

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The Office of the Washington State Climatologist serves as a credible and expert source of climate and weather information for the state of Washington. They specialize in analyzing weather and climate trends within the broader context of climate change, and disseminating this information through presentations, media interviews, committee participation and more. The Office’s newly-released strategic plan outlines four strategic goals in support of their mission: 1) provide reputable climate data and interpretation, 2) broaden climate services through targeted engagement, 3) coproduce new applied climate research, and 4) acquire resources for the sustainability of the Office. 

Washington State Climate Office releases new strategic plan

The Washington State Climate Office (formerly called the Office of the Washington State Climatologist) has released a new strategic plan to guide their future work. Among several key priorities, the strategic plan emphasizes engaging with decision makers and communities and co-producing applied research. 

Building off of their long history of providing climate data and information for local and state governments, communities, tribes and other organizations, the Washington State Climate Office will develop new long-term partnerships with priority stakeholders, help build capacity among key partners and cultivate applied and multi-disciplinary research collaborations. The Office will also explore new avenues of funding to help grow and sustain themselves over the long-term.  

WA snowpack starts off strong, but El Niño warming looms

Much of Washington is accumulating snowpack faster than normal so far this fall, a small victory for a state plagued by drought all summer. The trend isn’t expected to continue, climatologists say. Early snowpack data is limited and winter doesn’t officially begin for yet another month. Karin Bumbaco, Washington deputy state climatologist, and Guillaume Mauger, a research scientist at the UW Climate Impacts Group, are quoted in this article from the Seattle Times.  

Register Today for the Water Year 2023 Recap & 2024 Outlook Meeting

The 18th annual Oregon-Washington Water Year Meeting: 2023 Recap and 2024 Outlook will be held as two virtual morning meetings on Wednesday, November 1 and Thursday, November 2. There is no cost to attend but you are required to register. 

The goal of this meeting is to share and gather information regarding climate impacts of the 2023 water year. The extended summer of 2022 into fall, drought development across Washington and northwest Oregon, drought improvement over southeastern Oregon, and rapid spring snowmelt will be topics of discussion. This meeting will also offer the opportunity to learn from others about mitigation actions that were taken through group discussion. 

PBS: Washington Climate Crisis

As our summers become hotter and our skies fill with wildfire smoke, Western Washington seemingly gets deeper into a climate crisis. Dr. Nick Bond was part of a panel of UW climate experts discussing climate change. “In the Hot Seat: Saving Lives from Extreme Heat in Washington State” is also referenced.  

Washington State Climatologist’s Office Joins Forces with Climate Impacts Group for Enhanced Climate Action

Following two decades of close collaboration, we are excited to announce that the Office of the Washington State Climatologist is joining the UW Climate Impacts Group. With a shared commitment to advancing climate services, this collaboration marks a significant step towards a more unified approach to addressing climate-related challenges in our state and region. 

This strategic decision brings together two leading organizations dedicated to understanding the region’s weather and its impacts on time scales of days to decades. The Office of the Washington State Climatologist has long been recognized for its expertise in interpreting and contextualizing today’s weather and climate trends within the broader context of climate change. 

From Hawaii to Greece, the planet is broiling from wildfires. How much is climate change to blame?

Although many factors are behind the global series of wildfires, experts say climate change is the primary cause. Drs. Crystal Raymond and Nick Bond are quoted.